As Florida enters storm season, Duke Energy has initiated measures to assist residents and communities in preparing for hurricanes and other emergencies. The Duke Energy Foundation, supported by Duke Energy shareholders, has allocated $163,000 in emergency preparedness and resiliency grants to 12 organizations across the state.
These grants are intended to enhance community readiness through various initiatives such as placing AEDs in high-traffic areas, providing CPR training, funding community education materials, supplying storm kits for seniors, upgrading weather monitoring technology, and procuring materials for emergency sheltering.
Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida’s state president, emphasized the importance of continuous efforts towards community resilience. “Although we are now entering the official start of storm season, community resilience and preparedness is a year-round effort,” she stated. “We are grateful for the ongoing collaboration and commitment of our first responders, emergency management officials and community agencies to prepare, plan and engage our communities. Being prepared is our best defense.”
The recipients of these grants include:
– American Heart Association – $50,000
– Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office – $5,000
– Franklin County Board of County Commissioners – $8,000
– Lake County Board of County Commissioners – $5,000
– City of Davenport – $5,000
– Orange County Office of Emergency Management – $20,000
– Seminole County Board of County Commissioners – $10,000
– Town of Inglis – $10,000
– Hernando County Emergency Management – $10,000
– Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Family Services Inc. – $12,500
– Suncoast Young People Theatre Inc. – $17,500
– Winter Garden Heritage Foundation – $10,000
Duke Energy Foundation has been committed to enhancing disaster preparedness in Florida since 2019 with contributions exceeding $1.8 million.
The foundation encourages customers to prioritize personal preparedness for greater resilience at home or work. Additional preparation tips can be found on duke-energy.com/StormTips where users can also download the Red Cross Emergency app. For every app download until June 30th up to a total contribution limit of $20,000—Duke Energy Foundation will donate one dollar to the Red Cross.
Duke Energy Florida serves two million customers across a 13-thousand-square-mile area with an energy capacity totaling 12 thousand five hundred megawatts.
Annually providing over thirty million dollars in philanthropic support—the Duke Energy Foundation aims at addressing needs within communities served by its parent company’s utilities which reach eight point six million customers across several states including North Carolina South Carolina Indiana Ohio Kentucky along with natural gas services extending into Tennessee as well.
